Rugby World Cup 2023 – Japan dominates Samoa and offers a final against Argentina

In a very dense Group D which already seems promised to England, it is 2nd place which now appears to be the main objective for Argentina, Japan and Samoa. The winner of the match between the last two countries mentioned this evening then had the chance to still believe in it. Favorites before the meeting, the Japanese achieved the essential by overcoming Samoa but took risks for the rest of the competition by missing an offensive bonus which held out their arms against 14 Samoans.

Dominated at first but very realistic, the Japanese XV lost its rugby at the end of the match, preferring to ensure victory even if it meant foiling, even letting the Samoans, too undisciplined, come back to claim a deserved defensive bonus. Six tries were scored, three on each side, at times when the opposition dominated possession.

A Japan dominated but lethal

The start of the match was Samoan with a fast and powerful attacking game. Seilala Mapusua players had the ball 80% of the time in the first quarter of an hour but missed essential moves despite strong domination, especially in the scrum. It was certain in a scrum that the first points would be scored, but in favor of Japan. On a good school movement leaving the building 40m away, the backs progressed perfectly to the left wing.

The forwards then took over and Labuschagné finished the job (13th, 7-0 with Matsuda’s transformation). The Samoans reacted quickly but only territorially. After numerous attempts to pass through the scrum and then the touchline, Leuila reduced the score with a penalty (25th, 7-3). With fewer scruples, Matsuda immediately gave his team a 7-point lead over a mini Japanese incursion into the opposing camp (27th, 10-3).

Samoans not so resigned

And the match would once again swing in favor of Japan despite Samoan domination. In one of the few well-negotiated Japanese scrums, the ball release was still standard. With a perforating offshore game on the right wing. Arriving on the opponent’s 5m right flank, the play changed direction towards the other wing. Matsuda, also very comfortable with his hands, placed a jump pass towards Leitch who dived for try number 2 for Brave Blossom (32nd, 17-3). The hold up was almost perfect for Japan in this first act if the Samoans had stopped there. Just before the break, the crippling errors in attack faded away on the Manu Samoa side. On a touch from 5m well captured by Luatua, it was the hooker Seilala Lam who flattened the good work of all the forwards (39th, 17-8).

The second period started with the two teams playing 14 against 14, this time with a distinctly Japanese domination. And when the two teams finally found themselves at 15 against 15, center Ben Lam received a yellow (47th) for a dangerous tackle which would turn red less than 10 minutes later. Two minutes later, the Japanese stunned the Samoans with a third try. For a few minutes in the opposing 22m, the Japanese took advantage of a touch from 5m well taken by Cornelsen to make their captain Himeno score. The 3 Japanese tries were scored by the three players on the third row. Matsuda took the opportunity to miss his first attempt at the world championship (50th, 22-8).

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